Cuba: In Transition?

March 30, 2006 - 4:00 pm

Pathways to Renewal, Long-Term Development and Global Reintegration

The 2006 symposium provides an in-depth view of contemporary Cuban reality since the early 1990s. It will probe whether or not Cuban dynamics can effectively be viewed as a transition. The interdisciplinary symposium will gather more than 50 scholars and Cuba specialists interested in studying the nature of changes currently underway in economics and politics and policy models, civil society, art and literature, race relations and national identity and culture, as well as Cuba’s role in world affairs. This event builds on the expertise of Cuba specialists at the City University of New York and previous participants of Cuba Project programs.

The symposium will address diverse questions, including but not limited to: To what extent has the island entered or may soon enter into a transformation comparable to those of Eastern Europe or even China and Vietnam? Is the transition paradigm applicable to the Cuban case? How can the processes of renewal and innovation at the micro level be linked with societal renovation and institutional change? How might current processes shape Cuba’s long-term development prospects? How significant are Cuba’s relations with Latin American countries, Europe and Asia, in this regard? In terms of Cuba’s long-term development, what role should the United States play?